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| Syria Faces New Claim on Chemical Arms | |
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| Britain and France have written separately to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations that there is credible information suggesting Syria’s government has used chemical weapons in the civil war on multiple occasions since last December, diplomats said Thursday. | Britain and France have written separately to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations that there is credible information suggesting Syria’s government has used chemical weapons in the civil war on multiple occasions since last December, diplomats said Thursday. |
| The diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said there had been an exchange of letters with the secretary general starting on March 25 about the information, which they would not reveal in detail. They spoke a day after Mr. Ban said that Syria had still not given a United Nations forensics team permission to enter the country, despite Syria’s own request last month for an investigation into its claim that insurgents had used chemical weapons in the war. | The diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said there had been an exchange of letters with the secretary general starting on March 25 about the information, which they would not reveal in detail. They spoke a day after Mr. Ban said that Syria had still not given a United Nations forensics team permission to enter the country, despite Syria’s own request last month for an investigation into its claim that insurgents had used chemical weapons in the war. |
| The assertions by Britain and France are stronger than that of the United States, which has said that it is assessing claims of chemical weapons use in Syria, but has not come to any conclusions. President Obama has said the use of such weapons in the war would constitute a “game changer” that could lead to an American military response. | The assertions by Britain and France are stronger than that of the United States, which has said that it is assessing claims of chemical weapons use in Syria, but has not come to any conclusions. President Obama has said the use of such weapons in the war would constitute a “game changer” that could lead to an American military response. |
| Israeli officials have also said they believe there is evidence that Syrian forces have used the weapons, which the government of President Bashar al-Assad is known to have stockpiled. But there has been no direct independent evidence presented to confirm the assertions. | Israeli officials have also said they believe there is evidence that Syrian forces have used the weapons, which the government of President Bashar al-Assad is known to have stockpiled. But there has been no direct independent evidence presented to confirm the assertions. |
| Mr. Assad’s government has insisted that any United Nations investigation be focused only on one purported use of chemical weapons it says was carried out by insurgent forces in the Aleppo area on March 19 and which it says killed at least 26 people. Syria’s opposition has ridiculed the accusation, asserting its fighters would never use such weapons even if they knew how. | Mr. Assad’s government has insisted that any United Nations investigation be focused only on one purported use of chemical weapons it says was carried out by insurgent forces in the Aleppo area on March 19 and which it says killed at least 26 people. Syria’s opposition has ridiculed the accusation, asserting its fighters would never use such weapons even if they knew how. |
| Western nations have also cast strong doubts on the Syrian government’s claim, and have said that any investigation should also include claims by anti-Assad activists that the government has used chemical weapons in the city of Homs and the Damascus suburbs. | Western nations have also cast strong doubts on the Syrian government’s claim, and have said that any investigation should also include claims by anti-Assad activists that the government has used chemical weapons in the city of Homs and the Damascus suburbs. |
| Mr. Ban told reporters on Wednesday that an investigative team he had assembled was “ready to deploy quickly, as soon as we have the Syrian government’s consent.” But he also said that “the mission needs to investigate all the allegations made by the member states,” which suggested there would be no quick solution to the deadlock. | Mr. Ban told reporters on Wednesday that an investigative team he had assembled was “ready to deploy quickly, as soon as we have the Syrian government’s consent.” But he also said that “the mission needs to investigate all the allegations made by the member states,” which suggested there would be no quick solution to the deadlock. |
| Martin Nesirky, a spokesman for Mr. Ban, said he could not comment on a report in The Washington Post that the British and French correspondence with Mr. Ban contained information about soil samples and witness interviews that bolstered suspicion that Syrian forces had used the weapons. But Mr. Nesirky noted that “the secretary general has already said publicly that the governments of Syria, the United Kingdom and France have presented allegations with supporting information and requested a speedy investigation.” | Martin Nesirky, a spokesman for Mr. Ban, said he could not comment on a report in The Washington Post that the British and French correspondence with Mr. Ban contained information about soil samples and witness interviews that bolstered suspicion that Syrian forces had used the weapons. But Mr. Nesirky noted that “the secretary general has already said publicly that the governments of Syria, the United Kingdom and France have presented allegations with supporting information and requested a speedy investigation.” |
| In Washington, the director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that American intelligence agencies were assessing claims that the Syrian government had used chemical agents, but would not be more definitive. | In Washington, the director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that American intelligence agencies were assessing claims that the Syrian government had used chemical agents, but would not be more definitive. |
| “We receive many claims of chemical warfare use in Syria each day,” he said, “and we take them all seriously and we do all we can to investigate them.” A spokesman for the C.I.A. would not comment on the French and British reports. | “We receive many claims of chemical warfare use in Syria each day,” he said, “and we take them all seriously and we do all we can to investigate them.” A spokesman for the C.I.A. would not comment on the French and British reports. |
| When asked whether any of these claims, if confirmed, would cross Mr. Obama’s threshold for military intervention in the two-year-old Syrian conflict, Mr. Clapper insisted that “was a policy question and not one for intelligence to comment on.” | When asked whether any of these claims, if confirmed, would cross Mr. Obama’s threshold for military intervention in the two-year-old Syrian conflict, Mr. Clapper insisted that “was a policy question and not one for intelligence to comment on.” |
| Mr. Clapper’s testimony reflected a growing assessment within the American intelligence community that the Syrian government may have used some kind of chemical agents, like a powerful tear gas, but not the most deadly ones, like sarin. | Mr. Clapper’s testimony reflected a growing assessment within the American intelligence community that the Syrian government may have used some kind of chemical agents, like a powerful tear gas, but not the most deadly ones, like sarin. |
| These assessments are based on witness accounts, medical results from Syrian civilians who may have been exposed to chemical agents who were treated in Turkey, and preliminary testing of soil samples taken from Syria. But officials say there is no consensus and that more testing is needed. Some administration officials believe the Syrian government may be testing the West to see what chemical agents it can use and in what amounts before it would trigger Western intervention. | These assessments are based on witness accounts, medical results from Syrian civilians who may have been exposed to chemical agents who were treated in Turkey, and preliminary testing of soil samples taken from Syria. But officials say there is no consensus and that more testing is needed. Some administration officials believe the Syrian government may be testing the West to see what chemical agents it can use and in what amounts before it would trigger Western intervention. |
| The questions over possible chemical weapons use in Syria were overshadowed at the United Nations on Thursday by dire new predictions of a worsening humanitarian crisis caused by the war, and frustrations that aid agencies are running out of money. Kuwait provided some respite with an announcement it had given $300 million to the international relief effort for refugees and other Syrian war victims. Kuwait’s donation, $275 million to nine United Nations agencies and $25 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross, was announced at a news briefing at the Geneva offices of the United Nations. | The questions over possible chemical weapons use in Syria were overshadowed at the United Nations on Thursday by dire new predictions of a worsening humanitarian crisis caused by the war, and frustrations that aid agencies are running out of money. Kuwait provided some respite with an announcement it had given $300 million to the international relief effort for refugees and other Syrian war victims. Kuwait’s donation, $275 million to nine United Nations agencies and $25 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross, was announced at a news briefing at the Geneva offices of the United Nations. |
| Access to deprived Syrians inside the country has also emerged as a major problem, aid officials said. Valerie Amos, the top United Nations humanitarian official, told a meeting of the Security Council on Thursday that Syria had imposed a new and onerous requirement that all aid trucks allowed into the country must be approved by two government ministers. | Access to deprived Syrians inside the country has also emerged as a major problem, aid officials said. Valerie Amos, the top United Nations humanitarian official, told a meeting of the Security Council on Thursday that Syria had imposed a new and onerous requirement that all aid trucks allowed into the country must be approved by two government ministers. |
| The number of Syrian refugees has risen to nearly 1.4 million this week from 30,000 a year ago, the United Nations refugee agency reported, a quarter more than it had predicted for the end of June. The number of refugees could double or triple to around three million by the end of the year, said António Guterres, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees. | The number of Syrian refugees has risen to nearly 1.4 million this week from 30,000 a year ago, the United Nations refugee agency reported, a quarter more than it had predicted for the end of June. The number of refugees could double or triple to around three million by the end of the year, said António Guterres, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees. |
Rick Gladstone reported from New York, and Eric Schmitt from Washington. Nick Cumming-Bruce contributed reporting from Geneva. | Rick Gladstone reported from New York, and Eric Schmitt from Washington. Nick Cumming-Bruce contributed reporting from Geneva. |